“The Silversides is one of the most decorated submarines of World War II, built in 1945, and it became a part of the museum that opened in 1987 in Muskegon, Michigan.”
Veronica Campbell is executive director of the USS Silversides Submarine Museum. She says for the first time in over 50 years, the submarine will be towed across Lake Michigan to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where it will receive restoration work including hull cleaning, structural inspection, steel repair and protective coatings while sitting in dry dock.
“Thankfully, it’s been sitting in fresh water since the war, and so it’s in some of the best condition of a submarine for its age comparatively to other submarines of a similar class, so even though that’s the case, it’s still very much in need of those repairs that are very typical of vessels with its history.”
Much of the sub lies below the waterline, making it impossible to fully inspect critical structural components while afloat. Delaying this work increases the risk of structural deterioration.
Silversides will depart Muskegon on July 13th and is expected to return in October. The museum’s main building will remain open during that time.
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